Instantly, my heart clenched painfully.

Xander knew very well that Mom's illness had started after she learned about my father's affair. If she found out about my "identity" now, it would be no different from driving her to her death!

Mom was my only remaining family in this world. I could not just stand by and let her leave me.

I swallowed the metallic taste of blood down my throat and slowly moved forward before the cameras. Then, I dropped to my knees in front of Stacy.

I said, "I'm sorry, Ms. Bowman. I destroyed your family and wanted to use the child to climb up to your position. I'm shameless. I… I'm sorry."

I prostrated myself and knocked my head against the ground again and again. I was disgraced and despised with no dignity left.

Only when blood blurred my vision did I finally stop.

After it ended, I lifted my head and glared at Stacy's smug face before looking at Xander.

"Is such an apology enough?" I asked.

Xander's chest visibly rose and fell once. He cleared his throat and tossed a bank card at my feet.

He said, "Three million dollars should be enough for you. Take it and save your mother."

I grabbed the card and ran all the way to the hospital. When I saw how pale Mom was as she lay on the bed, my whole body shook violently.

In a panic, I stuffed the card into the doctor's hand. "Doctor, please, you have to save her!"

A few minutes later, the doctor returned with the card. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I tried several times, but it didn't work. The account has been frozen."

I had no time to think and pinned my hopes on the gold bracelet around my wrist. "This bracelet must be worth a lot of money. It's pure gold!"

But the doctor only glanced at it before looking at me with pity. "Ma'am, you've been deceived, haven't you? This is obviously just an iron bracelet coated with gold."

At once, the crisp sound of the bracelet hitting the floor slammed into my heart.

Eight months ago, Xander had bought me this pair of gold bracelets when I had just become pregnant after I repeatedly begged him. Even after publicly admitting that I was a mistress, I was still unwilling to trade them for Mom's medical expenses.

So, in Xander's eyes, both the child and I had been worthless all along.

The next second, the monitoring equipment let out a shrill and prolonged beep.

Mom closed her eyes forever, and my grief-stricken sobs spilled through my clenched teeth.

…

Holding a photo of Mom in my arms, I walked numbly toward the rooftop. Comment by Caitlyn Chin: An urn would be unrealistic because one can't be cremated immediately after death.

A message from Xander popped up on my phone. "Sorry, I'm at the hospital keeping Stacy company while she gets an IV. Once she falls asleep, I'll go visit Mom and tell her not to worry. I've bought you a new house. You can tell me what you want—anything at all.

"Stacy said she can turn a blind eye to this. In the future, I'll make more time to be with you."

I did not reply.

The cold wind on the hospital rooftop blew my hair into a chaotic mess as I slowly stepped forward.

"Xander, there isn't a future for us anymore."

After saying those words, I smiled and jumped from the hospital rooftop.

At the same time, Xander casually glanced out the window of the hospital room. With just one look, his pupils suddenly constricted.